UN condemns ‘direct attack’ on peacekeepers in South Sudan

The United Nations is condemning a “direct attack” on its peacekeeping mission in South Sudan after a government soldier shot and wounded a Nepalese peacekeeper.

The shooting on Saturday comes three days after South Sudan’s warring sides signed a peace deal to end the civil war.

The UN statement says the South Sudanese soldier fired into the air near the UN convoy in the town of Yei before shooting at one of the vehicles. It says the peacekeepers could not return fire because of the risk of hitting civilians.

The UN mission chief, David Shearer, calls the attack “unacceptable”‘ and calls on South Sudan’s government to bring its forces under control.

The UN also says government troops earlier Saturday fired about 50 shots close to the UN base in Yei.